Why is Christianity even labelled as a religion?

[frater_domus]

This one really irks me. When people, ask me whether I am religious, I am always inclinded to say no and I feel really uncomfortable saying things like “I converted the Christianity”.

You see, I feel it is strange to describe the following of Christ as a religion. Religion is something man-made. Us glorifying God, accepting freely given salvation and worshiping the one who created all, that isn’t man-made, it is the very purpose of all existence. It is the purpose humans, nay, the world was created. It ought to be the central purpose of all creation.
Calling it a religion implies a worldliness about it and puts it on the same level as false teachings created by humans. It also feels like it puts humans above God, in that the bible would only be true for those who choose to believe it is, whereas in fact all of it is true and God is there whether we believe it or not. Calling the act of worshiping the Lord, glorifying Him and following Christ a religion devalues it, in my eyes. I mean, how can you call something a religion when it transcends the very universe and is the essence of all being?

I’ll gladly testify that my life belongs to Christ, but calling something as holy and essential a mere religion makes me feel uncomfortable. It feels like spitting in the face of someone who is most precious to me or devaluing the most precious gift of all by putting it with mundane gifts.

Edit: To avoid any further confusion: I have been living under the assumption that religion is correctly described in a modern dictionary, which is how I used the word ‘religion’ in the title and original post. Having been told otherwise by some folks here, I now know better. What I meant is the mindless and senseless repition as well as the equation of Christianity with false teachings. Please forgive my ignorance.

 

[Monna]

To the extent the "belief system" has been formalised and ritualised, it IS a religion. And in some circles this is exactly what has happened.

You would appear to be one of those who would like to say "I don't have a religion, I have a relationship." This is the pattern my father (and mother) showed me in their lives and conversations, and I find it more genuine. Living in love doesn't permit ritualisation or formalisation in relationships, and love is a way of life, though not a life style.

 

[Heavenhome]

Funny, anytime I was admitted to hospital I was asked what religion I was and I always said "Christian" they would say no what religion? I would say again "Christian" if they didn't write that I would say "oh you mean denomination".
I have to say I don't like saying I am anything other than a Christian. I may worship at a Presbyterian church but I am not a Presbyterian. I am CHRISTIAN and nothing else.
I agree, to me religious can be any manmade or man focused belief.
So if I am asked if I am religious I say " no I am Christian"

 

[frater_domus]

@Monna - Oh, I love the “relationship, not religion” angle. Gosh, I can be so dumb trying to express things. I take pages for something that may warrant just a single line

 

[salt-n-light]

This one really irks me. When people, ask me whether I am religious, I am always inclinded to say no and I feel really uncomfortable saying things like “I converted the Christianity”.

You see, I feel it is strange to describe the following of Christ as a religion. Religion is something man-made. Us glorifying God, accepting freely given salvation and worshiping the one who created all, that isn’t man-made, it is the very purpose of all existence. It is the purpose humans, nay, the world was created. It ought to be the central purpose of all creation.
Calling it a religion implies a worldliness about it and puts it on the same level as false teachings created by humans. It also feels like it puts humans above God, in that the bible would only be true for those who choose to believe it is, whereas in fact all of it is true and God is there whether we believe it or not. Calling the act of worshiping the Lord, glorifying Him and following Christ a religion devalues it, in my eyes. I mean, how can you call something a religion when it transcends the very universe and is the essence of all being?

I’ll gladly testify that my life belongs to Christ, but calling something as holy and essential a mere religion makes me feel uncomfortable. It feels like spitting in the face of someone who is most precious to me or devaluing the most precious gift of all by putting it with mundane gifts.

They call is religion because they see it as man-made. We ourselves sometimes fueled that when we put more pressure and energy on the ritualistic practices (go to church e.g.), rather than encourage people to seek God for themselves. Only the body of Christ understand the truth

 

[rockytopva]

I was an atheist and nothing would have changed for me.... Until I ran into a spiritual experience.....
If E = mc2 then we can divide and conclude that...

Mass (m) = Energy (E/c2)

And there are three varieties...

Natural E/c2 - All mass is basically cooled plasma
Mental E/c2 - Mentally, A mathematical formula, but this has chemical and spiritual properties as well.
Spiritual E/c2 - E (motivation, warmth, love) / c2 (faith, hope, charity, joy)

I came into a Pentecostal Holiness Church that was in revival. The old guys would sit back in the pew and weep while the people before them were being laid out in the Spirit. If they looked back to catch the amazed look in my eye they would weep, "The Holy Ghost! The Holy Ghost!" As they pointed to the souls blessed around the altar. After being in such an environment for months one evening while laying on my bed reading Nikki Cruises "Run Baby Run" I felt the Holy Spirit speak to me for the first time to put the book down. When I did he says again, "Where is all that stress, tension, bad feelings, and the like?" In which examining my soul there was nothing there but pure beauty, and in the words of George Clark Rankin,

"As we returned home the sun shone brighter, the birds sang sweeter and the autumn-time looked richer than ever before. My heart was light and my spirit buoyant. I had anchored my soul in the haven of rest, and there was not a ripple upon the current of my joy. That night there was no service and after supper I walked out under the great old pine trees and held communion with God. I thought of mother, and home, and Heaven.

"I at once gave my name to the preacher for membership in the Church, and the following Sunday morning, along with many others, he received me into full membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. It was one of the most delightful days in my recollection. It was the third Sunday in September, 1866, and those Church vows became a living principle in my heart and life. During these forty-five long years, with their alternations of sunshine and shadow, daylight and darkness, success and failure, rejoicing and weeping, fears within and fightings without, I have never ceased to thank God for that autumnal day in the long ago when my name was registered in the Lamb's Book of Life." - The Life of George Clark Rankin

I have since put together a web site at rockytopva that has done well over one million views. I have listened to much of the featured evangelist, RW Schambach, and have never the first time heard him mention any denomination in particular. I kind of like that, as I do not want to promote any kind of religious denomination, but a walk in the a great source of light and energy, and that is the Holy Spirit...

 

[Dave-W]

Religion is something man-made.

Wrong definition.

 

[Dave-W]

Oh, I love the “relationship, not religion” angle.

James 1:27
Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

 

[frater_domus]

James 1:27
Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Fair enough. I suppose the word religion has been defiled by the world and thus most of us associate it with something man-made. It may be more prudent to call Christianity the sole God-made religion and the rest being man-made?
Still, it feels a bit dirty to call something this personal instiutionalized. Even the actions describing pure and undefiled religion are actions of the heart, not routine visits to a church.
So maybe it would be better to criticise the institutional aspect of it we have today?

 

[salt-n-light]

Fair enough. I suppose the word religion has been defiled by the world and thus most of us associate it with something man-made. It may be more prudent to call Christianity the sole God-made religion and the rest being man-made?
Still, it feels a bit dirty to call something this personal instiutionalized. Even the actions describing pure and undefiled religion are actions of the heart, not routine visits to a church.
So maybe it would be better to criticise the institutional aspect of it we have today?

@Dave-W you do make a point.

what do you mean by institutionalized @frater_domus ?

 

[Dave-W]

It may be more prudent to call Christianity the sole God-made religion and the rest being man-made?

Actually, pre-temple Judaism is the only God-made religion. (don't forget the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy)

Taking care of widows and orphans and walking in holiness was all in the Mosaic scriptures.

Christianity is only an update to that religion.

 

[frater_domus]

@Dave-W you do make a point.

what do you mean by institutionalized @frater_domus ?

It may be a bad word for it. I mean something one has to do, something that has become routine to many, something that is full of tradition and rituals, something that has been made formal and has human rules attached to it. You know, much like an office job. Instead, it should be a personal relationship with our father and be marked by actions of the heart as directed by the spirit, not because you are told to do it.

Sorry, I have said many times how bad I am at describing things that I feel, but it simply does not do it justice

 

[Dave-W]

Still, it feels a bit dirty to call something this personal instiutionalized.

I doubt that "feeling" has anything to do with the spiritual, but rather it offends our uniquely western attitude of individualism.

 

[Dave G.]

The person asking you probably doesn't know the difference but has to check a box on your admission sheet.. We who follow truth and are guided by the Holy Spirit and The Word don't consider ourselves to be in a religion but in a spiritual walk. No secular person will understand this, they know they need to check a box on an admission sheet..

 

[Dave-W]

I mean something one has to do, something that has become routine to many, something that is full of tradition and rituals,

Leviticus and Deuteronomy have PLENTY of rituals and traditions. Paul wrote this:

1 Corinthians 11:2
Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you.

2 Thessalonians 2:15
So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.

2 Thessalonians 3:6
Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us.​

 

[frater_domus]

I doubt that "feeling" has anything to do with the spiritual, but rather it offends our uniquely western attitude of individualism.

You may be missing the point. I do not mind being part of the whole. I prefer to being a uniqu snowflake. My issue with it is that our relationship with God has been brought down to a human level, where is has since been marred by rituals, rules and routine, and put equal with false teachings, something that should’nt have been the case since Christ.

 

[Dave-W]

We who follow truth and are guided by the Holy Spirit and The Word don't consider ourselves to be in a religion but in a spiritual walk.

I submit you are using the WRONG DEFINITION for "religion."

 

[rockytopva]

27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. - Acts 17

One of my most pleasurable experiences are those happy encounters with the Holy Spirit. I worry too when Christianity hardens and gels into just another religious organization.

 

[Dave-W]

You may be missing the point. I do not mind being part of the whole. I prefer to being a uniqu snowflake. My issue with it is that our relationship with God has been brought down to a human level, where is has since been marred by rituals, rules and routine, and put equal with false teachings, something that should’nt have been the case since Christ.

No - I get that actually.

But by using the wrong definition of religion and taking a bad attitude on rituals, you throw out the baby with the bath water, so to speak.

There is a term in Hebrew "Kavanah" which means intentionality. It means to have your heart and head FULLY into the prayers, the rituals, etc. and NOT let it become just rote mindless activity.

"Ritual" is NOT the problem; heartless mindless repetition IS.

 

[Dave G.]

I submit you are using the WRONG DEFINITION for "religion."

OK, So see, you don't understand either LOL !